Undergraduate School of Medicine Blog

Recognizing Outstanding Contributions to the MD Program

At the end of each academic year, the graduating medical class selects faculty it wishes to recognize for outstanding contributions to their educational experience. This is always a difficult task for them, given the number and quality of the teaching faculty they encounter during the four-year curriculum.

The most prestigious such recognitions are the Connell Awards. Named in honour of two former heads of Medicine and outstanding teacher/role models, these awards recognize three individuals who have, in the view of the graduating class, made outstanding contributions in classroom teaching, clinical teaching and mentorship. This year, I know the class had particular difficulty coming to final decisions, but I’m very pleased to announce that the awards went to three very deserving individuals who are all relatively early in their careers, already making tremendous contributions to our program.

The 2017 Connell Award for Classroom Teaching: Dr. Gordon Boyd

Born and raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Dr. Boyd received his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Lakehead University and his PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Alberta, where he studied the role of growth factors in peripheral nerve regeneration. In 2001 he moved to Kingston to do a post-doctoral fellowship in the Queen’s Department of Anatomy and Cell biology, examining the potential of glial cell transplantation to treat spinal cord injury. He stayed in Kingston to do his undergraduate degree in Medicine, which was followed by his residency in Neurology and fellowship in Adult Critical Care. He has been on Faculty at Queen’s University since 2013 as a clinician-scientist. His research interests are focussed on the neurological consequences of critical illness, cardiac surgery, and kidney disease. He also teaches at all levels of graduate and post-graduate medical education, on topics ranging from neuroanatomy to organ donation and has developed a well-earned reputation as a gifted teacher and mentor to students, both in the clinical and research settings.

The 2017 Connell Award for Mentorship: Dr. Jason Franklin

Dr. Franklin is also a Queen’s MD program grad (1998) having previously graduated with high distinction from the U of T HBSc program as an Immunology Specialist. He undertook his residency in Otolaryngology at Western University and went on to do a fellowship in head and neck oncology and microvascular reconstruction at U of T. He returned to Queen’s in 2013 to take on a lead role in head and neck surgical oncology. He and his wife, Kristina Polsinelli have three children, Nicolas (8), Alexander (7) and Talia (3) who Jason describes as his “claim to fame”. He describes his role as a Wellness Advisor in the undergrad program as his “most gratifying work”. Jason took on the role with great dedication and commitment. He has been a terrific advocate for our students individually, and participated effectively in our evolving Wellness curriculum.

The 2017 Connell Award for Clinical Teaching: Dr. Laura Milne

Dr. Milne is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Queen’s University. She is originally from Durham, a small farming and industrial town in Southern Ontario. Prior to admission to medical school, she completed three years of undergraduate studies in physiology at the University of Toronto.

She studied undergraduate medicine at Queen’s University graduating in the class of 2008. She went on to pursue post-graduate medical studies in Internal Medicine at Queen’s University and graduated with a Fellowship in General Internal Medicine in 2012. Immediately after graduating, Dr. Milne worked as a general Internist in the community at Belleville General Hospital. She returned to Kingston General Hospital in early 2013 as a fulltime GFT faculty member in the Department of Medicine.

Since returning to Queen’s she has pursued her clinical interests in General Internal Medicine, Resistant Hypertension, and Stroke Prevention. She enjoys her work in the Undergraduate Medicine Program initially as a tutor for the Term IV Clinical Skills Course and, subsequently, as course director. She is currently course director for the Core Internal Medicine Clerkship Course. She also organizes the Internal Medicine yearly OSCE exam for the Postgraduate Medicine Program.

Dr. Milne brings that quality of “common sense competence” to her clinical, teaching and administrative roles. In a short period of time, she has earned tremendous credibility among the students and respect of the curricular leadership.

The Inaugural D. Laurence Wilson Award: Dr. Christopher Smith

I’d also like to introduce a new recognition being awarded for the first time this year. The D. Laurence Wilson Award was conceived and developed by the class of Meds ’66 on the fiftieth anniversary of their graduation. The award is named in honour of a distinguished clinician, teacher, role model and leader in the university and broader medical community who they feel exemplified the qualities of medical professionalism. To quote from the terms of reference of the award:

“Professionalism is the cornerstone of doctors who provide health care. The award with be provided annually to a faculty physician who best exemplifies the attributes of the profession that graduating class members aspire to emulate.”

Dr. Smith graduated from medical school at the University of London in 1990 and worked in the UK for several years before moving to the United States. He completed a 3-year residency in internal medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago and completed a Chief Resident year before transferring to Cook County Hospital / Rush University for a fellowship in general internal medicine. He was an Attending Physician at Cook County Hospital for over 10 years and was intimately involved in the residency training program as an Associate Program Director. He was recruited to Queen’s in 2008 as the Program Director for the Core Internal Medicine program. He recently accepted a position as Head of the Division of General Internal Medicine. He performs most of his clinical duties on the clinical teaching units (CTU’s) and on the GIM consult service. His main interests are in medical education, evidence based medicine and clinical skills. He is widely regarded for his teaching, patient advocacy and mentorship to students.

Please join me in congratulating these four outstanding medical educators.

I just wanted to say how wonderful it is to see all these familiar faces from my med school days being recognized! I recall well the lessons these outstanding clinicians taught me as a med student.

I remember spending 10+ hours in the OR with Dr. Franklin (to whom I owe all my practical knowledge of neck anatomy).
I remember tears welling up while I crouched next to Dr. Milne as we had a discussion about end of life care with a patient I had spent weeks getting to know.
Just this week I ran through a differential for pancreatitis that Dr. Smith very patiently taught me post call one morning.
I wasn’t lucky enough to work directly with Dr. Boyd but I have sadly used my notes from his declaration of brain death lecture more than once.

These powerful lessons from these incredible doctors I hope I will never forget.